2017 Home Organization Projects

One of my big goals for this year is to have a place for everything and everything in its place! That means a lot of decluttering has been happening in my home. Organization is something everyone can benefit from whether your house is large or small! I’m focusing on a few key areas to help my home function better.

MUDROOM

My husband and I recently updated our laundry/mudroom by adding cabinetry above and between the washer and dryer. We also removed a small shallow closet to install high cabinets, hooks and shoe storage.

Though the space isn’t big, it functions so much better for us. We’ve been working on organizing the cabinet interiors that house cleaning supplies and bulk household items.

Take advantage of the storage opportunities on the insides of cabinet doors. Mountable baskets are perfect for storing items you need to quickly access. I grabbed a couple of these to store cleaning supplies and vacuum attachments.

Bins and baskets make it easy to grab scarfs, hats and gloves before heading out the door.

If space is at a minimum, this option is great hanging coats and bags and even has a few small bins and a shelf!

STORAGE ROOM

Our storage room has become one of those spaces where boxes get tossed in without even looking. It’s difficult to find things and hard to walk through!

We are busy going through our belongings and making toss/keep/donate piles. Once we know what we are keeping THEN we will buy the appropriate storage containers. I’m thinking we will do some clear bins so we can see what will be stored.

A label maker will come in handy for labeling bins and can help you organize the rest of house, too!

GARAGE

While it’s not the most glamorous of spaces, organizing our garage is the project I’m looking forward to the most. The plan is to install a large pegboard wall to store all of our tools and project supplies.

Storage walls take full advantage of the vertical space available. Everything is easily visible, accessible, and CLEAN.

Magnetic knife racks are great for holding drill bits, screw drivers and even paint brushes.

I’ve got my work cut out for me! What projects are you working on this year?

Get It Together!

It’s already August, which means “back to school” is right around the corner! Getting in a new routine and organizing our daily lives can be a struggle. Here are a few tips that can help simplify the day-to-day.

Productivity Apps

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Wunderlist is an app that stores all types of to-do lists. I love that it allows you to share your lists and work collaboratively with friends and family (i.e. my husband and I share a grocery list, when he buys an item and checks it off the list, I am notified). It has also been a great way to help us organize our kitchen renovation project. I love hearing the satisfying chime as I check off a task.

Google Calendars is a great way to stay organized. Because I enjoy hand writing everything I used to keep a physical planner. However, I recently converted to Google Calendars and I will never look back. In addition to notifying you of upcoming events and estimating the drive time based on current traffic conditions, it also allows you to invite and send the event to others.

Cozi is an app geared toward organization for the whole family, including chores, groceries, upcoming events, etc. Its features allow multiple family members to manage appointments and schedules with one account, as well as organize and update shopping and to-do lists.

Create a Drop Zone

Whether you enter your house through a mudroom, laundry room, back entry, foyer or straight into the kitchen, it’s imperative to have a “drop zone” to corral the clutter. A designated place for shoes, coats, backpacks, mail and keys will keep your belongings organized and looking good.

Control Paper Piles

Establish a system to deal with mail and the piles of paper your kids will surely come home with on a daily basis! I really liked how Young House Love handles their paperwork. They keep a basket in their office and put the papers from their child’s backpack into it daily.  Every two-weeks, or once it is full, they go through the papers and decide what to file, what to display on their bulletin board, and what to toss.

iHeart Organizing is another great source for ANYTHING & EVERYTHING dealing with organization. To organize her children’s school work, she keeps a file box for each kid with folders for K-12.  She attaches their school pictures to the front of each folder and is very selective about what she saves. Read more here!

Do you have any tips for staying organized?  Any apps that you have found successful?  We would love to hear your ideas!